Easy-to-use roller blind

ABSTRACT

A roller blind ( 15 ) comprising a spring actuated roller blind for the luggage area ( 2 ) of a vehicle which includes a positive or compulsory guiding device ( 27 ) to which the front edge of the roller blind ( 17 ) is detachably connectable. The positive guiding device ( 27 ) ensures that the roller blind ( 17 ) can be moved upwardly to an intermediate position when the tailgate ( 8 ) is opened in order to provide easy access to the luggage area without having to fully roll the roller blind ( 17 ) back into the roller blind housing ( 16 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices used in automobiles, and moreparticularly to an improved roll cover for covering the cargo space ofan automobile.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roll covers are increasingly used in station wagons in the cargo spacebecause the cargo space would be fully visible from the outside withoutappropriate measures. The roll cover is capable of protecting the upwardfacing cargo space from outside viewing. The roll cover is bordered onone side by the rear bench back rest, the two car body walls and thetailgate. On the other hand, the cover allows the full utilization ofthe cargo space when it is rolled up in its rest or storage positionwhere it hardly needs any space.

To cover a cargo space, two different systems are known. One system isdesigned as a type of folded cover consisting of a cover sheet with rodsor hoops. The hoops run on guide rails at the car body side and must besomewhat parallel. When opened, intermediary positions are possible, buttheir installation is costly because of the guide rails.

The roll cover can be placed at any time in various intermediatepositions.

The other system, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,748, for example, isdesigned as a type of spring-actuated shade. It consists of twoconnected end caps with a rotating winding roller in the middle. Theroller blind is attached to the winding roller, while the other end isconnected to a pull bar. The winding roller is prestressed with a springin the direction where the roller blind is rolled up.

On the side of the roller blind path, two guide rails with two hookseach are attached. One hook is located at the tailgate opening while theother is arranged half-way from the winding roller and the hook above toallow a half-opened position of the roll cover. To reach this position,the user must manually unhook the pull bar from the rear hook andtransfer it to the front hook; he has to control this movement himself.

Another solution is offered by DE 39 41 711 C2. The cargo space cover isagain designed as a type of spring-actuated feed shade. It consists ofan oblong cassette housing with a rotating winding roller. The rollerblind is attached to the winding roller and its free end is connected tothe pull bar. The pull bar is hooked into the inside of the tailgate atsuch a height that the roller blind pull bar, which extends horizontallyacross the cargo space will change when the tailgate is closed.

The attachment of the pull bar on the inside of the tailgate is supposedto increase comfort.

The connection with the tailgate lifts the roller blind automaticallywhen the tailgate is opened upward. Therefore, the access opening isautomatically opened with the open tailgate without requiring additionalmovements such as unhooking the pull bar.

A significant disadvantage of the known solution is that the pull bar isnecessarily pulled out of the tailgate opening when it is opened, or isto be closed by the tailgate, and moved a bit upward. Due to the roofconfiguration in modern car body forms, the tailgate is increasinglynarrowed toward the roof, causing the sides of the roller blind in thewell-known design to rub at the edges of the tailgate opening. In thisarea, the cover suffers unsightly damage. The known solution has anotherdisadvantage in that the maximum extent of the roller blind to be rolledonto the winding roller does not result from the size of the cargo spaceopening but rather from the location of the final position of the pullbar when the tailgate is open. This amount of roller blind issignificantly larger than what is needed for covering only the cargospace opening.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to create a rollcover that is designed like a spring-actuated shade and easy to handlewithout being damaged when the tailgate is opened.

The present invention provides these and other advantages and overcomesthe drawbacks of the prior art by providing a roll cover having acompulsory guiding device which allows the cover to be moved upward whenthe tailgate of the automobile is opened so as to allow easier accessinto the cargo space.

The use of a compulsory or positive guiding device with an appropriatedesign prevents the pull bar from being pulled out of the tailgateopening when the tailgate is opened, while creating at the same time arelatively large access to the cargo space. The user is not required tounhook the roll cover after opening the tailgate and to let it windcompletely onto the winding roller to get access to the cargo space.Rather, this form of a compulsory guiding device allows the pull bar tohold in an intermediate position which results in similar comfort aswith roll covers that work with a gather principle and rods on rails.

The roller blind is generally as large as the length of the cargo spaceopening, measured in the direction parallel to the longitudinaldirection of the vehicle.

Even if the compulsory guiding device must be actuated manually, thereis a substantial simplification in that the operator does not have tobend forward to reach the intermediate position in order to guide thepull bar up to the roll cover housing. The compulsory guiding devicelifts the pull bar and prevents an unpleasant forward bent bodyposition.

The intermediate position can be realized in several ways. When in theintermediate position, the pull bar lies in a height clearly above theclosed position, while in other cases the pull bar in the intermediateposition is only retracted in the direction of the housing.

The circumstances are technically very simple when the compulsoryguiding device holds the pull bar also in the closed roll cover positionso that re-hanging is not needed.

The force for transferring the pull bar from the closed position to theintermediate position or the reverse can be accomplished by means ofcoupling links that couple the movement of the pull bar at least over apart of their motion field with the movements of the tailgate. Thesecoupling links can be designed as pressure resistant and/or flexible. Ifonly the movement direction is considered, it suffices that the couplinglinks transfer only the tensile force. In the event that the movementexerted on the tailgate end is higher than the lift on the pull bar withthe compulsory guiding device, the coupling links can also be flexible.

The compulsory guiding device can be designed in different ways. Arelatively simple compulsory guiding device consists of two one-armedlevers that are arranged in the cargo or trunk space in a pivotingmanner. They face from their hinge point in the direction of the cargoopening and have receptacles for the ends of the pull bar at their otherends. By pivoting the levers upward either manually or controlled by thetailgate motion, the access opening is reached in the desired size.

Another compulsory guiding device uses guide rails attached to thelateral rims of the cargo space opening. Slides are running on theseguide rails. Each of these slides has a receptacle for the pull bar sothat the pull bar, i.e., the extended end of the roller blind, can beplaced at the appropriate height so that access to the cargo space isunimpeded.

When using the guide rails and slides, the slides are kinematicallyconnected with the tailgate. The connection with the tailgate has,besides the greater comfort for the operation from outside, thetechnical advantage that it forces a synchronous movement of the pullbar ends and prevents jamming.

Depending on the way the connecting or coupling links between thetailgate and the compulsory guiding device are designed, springs must beused to enforce an end position of the compulsory guiding device, orsuch springs are not needed.

No springs are needed when the coupling links between the tailgate andthe compulsory guiding device are rigid and inflexible. In contrast,springs are needed when the coupling links are not tensile pressureresistant. The latter can be advantageous example, when no gooddirectional point for the coupling links can be found at the tailgate sothat their movement stroke corresponds with the movement stroke of thecompulsory guiding device. If the stroke is too small, the compulsoryguiding device could, for example, be prestressed with springs in theopened position and be withdrawn to the closed position against theeffect of these springs when the tailgate is closed.

The reverse solution is also applicable. The springs can run either inthe guide rails or prestress the levers as coil springs.

Another embodiment instead of the use of coupling links to bring thepull bar automatically in the intermediate position consists of theutilization of the retracting force with which the roller blind is woundonto the winding roller. In order to assure a certain synchronizationwith the motion or the position of the tailgate, respectively, a lockingdevice has to be installed that functions together with the compulsoryguiding device. This locking device has three different states. In thefirst state, a movement of the pull bar is arrested from a closedposition. This allows the user to bring the pull bar permanently in aposition corresponding with the closed position of the roll cover. Thelocking device has a second state when the pull bar can move unimpededfrom the closed position to the intermediate position by means of thecompulsory guiding device. The third state of the locking device holdsthe pull bar in the closed position depending on the position of thetailgate. The pull bar is automatically placed in this position when thetailgate is closed.

The kinematic circumstances are very simple when these three states ofthe locking device are realized by at least two different positions ofthe pull bar. In this, the second and the third state correspond looselywith the different closing positions of the roll cover; the positions ofthe pull bar differ from one another only by a few millimeters.

The situation is especially simple when the pull bar works together withthe locking device because the hooking in and out is very simple.

A very simple locking device results when a groove is provided intowhich the pull bar is placed. The groove has a pocket-like recess or aslot so that the tensile force of the winding roller causes an automaticinsertion of the pull bar end into the pocket; this position of the pullbar in the pocket corresponds with the first state of the lockingdevice.

In order to transfer the pull bar out of the pocket in the thirdposition, the pocket can either have a movable wall or a correspondinglifting link. This lifting link can be a cam that moves the pull barfrom a position corresponding to the third position of the lockingdevice when the tailgate is closed.

So that the pull bar remains in the third position as long as thetailgate is opened, a holder can be used that locks the groove duringthat time.

This holder can be a ram seated at the tailgate or a slide activated bya cable or a ram that extends into the motion path of the tailgate.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be morereadily apparent upon reading the following description of preferredexemplary embodiments of the invention and upon reference to thedrawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a roll cover of the invention inthe extended upward position in the trunk of a car with an open carbody.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the roll cover with slides and rigidcouplings in a representation similar to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view showing the right tailgate rim of the embodiment inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the roll cover similar to the one in FIG.1 but with flexible coupling links.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the rollcover of the invention in the cargo space of an automobile in anintermediate position with an open car body.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken in plane in vertical relation to the pullbar showing the locking device located at the side and at the end of theguiding groove for the roll cover according to FIG. 5 in its firststate.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the locking device according to FIG.6.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the locking device in FIG. 6in another state or condition.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the locking device in FIG. 6in still another state.

FIG. 10 is a lateral view showing another embodiment of the lockingdevice for the arrangement in FIG. 5.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the arrangement in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a lateral view showing a third embodiment of a locking devicefor the roll cover in FIG. 5 partially opened in the first state.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing the holder for thelocking device in FIG. 12 as well as the actuating cam.

FIG. 14 shows the locking device in FIG. 12 in the third state.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the car tailgate showing an exemplaryembodiment of the roll cover with the horizontal pull bar.

FIG. 16 shows a locking device for the roll cover in FIG. 15 in lateralview and in the first state.

FIG. 17 shows the locking device in FIG. 16 in the third state, and

FIG. 18 shows the locking device in FIG. 16 in the second state.

While the invention will be described and disclosed in connection withcertain preferred embodiments and procedures, it is not intended tolimit the invention to those embodiments. Rather it is intended to coverall such alternative embodiments and modifications as fall within thespirit and scope of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a tailgate 1 of a station wagon or car in perspective. Itscargo space 2 is bordered by a bottom 3 as well as two side walls 4 ofwhich only the right side wall can be seen. A rear side window 5 isabove side wall, and the seat back 6 of a rear bench forms the frontboundary of the cargo space 2. The side window 5 ends with its lower rimat a distance above the bottom 3.

Access to the cargo space 2 is provided by the tailgate opening 7 whichcan be optionally locked by a tailgate door 8. The tailgate door 8 isconnected with the auto body by means of hinges 9 and can be kept in anopen position with a gas pressure spring 11. The tailgate opening islimited at the sides by two lateral rims 12 that run parallel to eachother as far as the car body contour permits. The tailgate opening 7 isbordered by an upper rim 13 at the roof and a cargo board rim 14 locatedmore or less at the bottom 3.

With the closed tailgate door 8, there is a cargo space open to abovethat is limited at the rim by the inside of the tailgate door 8, the twoside walls 4 and the rear side of the seat back 6. This cargo spaceopening allows visibility from the outside into the cargo space 2.

To protect the cargo space 2 from outside viewing, a roll cover 15 isused. It comprises a housing 16 as well as a roller blind 17 to coverthe cargo space opening.

The housing 16 is an oblong housing attached on the back rest of theseat back 6 and extending over its whole length. The interior of thehousing 16 contains a winding roller 18 that can rotate at the end. Thelength of the winding roller corresponds approximately with the lengthof the housing 16.

The winding roller 18 is at least in one segment tube-like and containsa spring motor 19 that is connected at one end 21 with the windingroller 18 while its other end 22 is fixed in the housing 16.

The rim of the roller blind 17 is attached to the winding roller 18 andits other rim exits the housing 16 through a lengthwise slot 23. Theslot 23 extends almost over the whole length of the housing 16 andparallel to the winding roller 18.

A loop 24 on the roller blind is located at a rim facing away from thewinding roller 18. It contains an essentially rigid pull bar 25 whoseends protrude at the pegs 26.

To guide the pull bar 25 and thus also the front rim of the roller blind17, a compulsory guiding device 27 is provided. This compulsory guidingdevice 27 comprises two one-armed levers 28 of which only one is visibledue to the partial illustration of the tailgate 1.

The lever 28 can be pivoted around a horizontal axis with a hinge 29 atone of its ends on the side wall 4. The pivot axis extends parallel tothis axis of the winding roller 18. The other end of the lever 28 has afork-shaped receptacle 31 into which the peg 26 can be latched.

The not shown other lever is located in opposing relation at the otherside wall coaxial to the visible lever 28. The exact location of thehinge 29 is explained in the following function description.

The handling and working of the described roll cover 15 and of thecompulsory guiding device 27 is as follows:

With the open cargo space 2, the roll blind 17 is in a rest positionrolled up completely on the winding roller 18 due to the function of thespring motor so far that the loop 24 on the pull bar 25 abuts the slot23 on the outside of the housing 16. The two loosely pivoting levers 28are in the position 28′ shown in dashes in FIG. 1 where they are held bystops 32 attached below on the respective side wall 4 next to thetailgate opening 7 and support the lever 28 below its receptacle fork31.

When no visibility is wanted into the cargo space, the roll cover 17 isdrawn out of the housing 16 against the effect of the spring motor 19 bymeans of the pull bar 25 and possibly with the aid of a loop configuredpull chain 33 attached to it. The roller blind 17 is pulled out so faruntil the two pegs 26 can be hooked into the two receptacle forks 31 onthe two levers 28. The receptacle forks are open to the top in thisposition. In addition, the arrangement is made in the way that the nowstretched roller blind, shown with dashes in FIG. 1 in this position andmarked with 17′, runs below the pivot axis of the bearing. This resultsin a minor torque in each lever 28 in the position 28′ that presses thelever 28 downward onto the stops 32.

The stretched-out roller blind 17′ runs horizontal and slightly belowthe lower rim of the side window 5 under the upper rim of the seat back6.

When the tailgate door 8 is closed, the cargo space 2 can no longer belooked into.

If needed, additional stops at the tailgate door 8 press the pull bar 25down and thus the levers 28 against the stops 32 so that they will notrattle or snap upward during driving vibrations.

When the cargo space is being loaded or unloaded, the access openingbetween the pull bar 25 is pivoted downward and the upper rim of thecargo board rim 14 remaining after opening the tailgate door 8 will betoo small to permit comfortable handling. Therefore, the pull bar 25 isgrasped manually and lifted and moved under the effect of the compulsoryguiding device 27 in a circular arch with the axis of the hinges 29. Thepivot motion is limited by other stops located, for example, in thehinges 29. The final position corresponds with the position shown inFIG. 1 with solid lines.

The two levers 28 are kept in a lifted position by the spring motor 19,as is illustrated, and the access opening to the cargo space 2 is nowclearly enlarged and the roller blind is no longer in the way. Becauseof the compulsory guiding device, it is not necessary to let the rollerblind 17 roll back into the housing 16.

After loading and unloading the cargo space 2, the roll cover 15 can bereturned to the covering position along the dashes simply by moving thepull bar 25 or the front rim of the roller blind 17, respectively,downward until the levers 28 rest on the stops 32 as described above.

It is also possible at any time, like with any window shade, to removethe roller blind 17 completely by unhooking the pull bar 25 with its twopegs 26 out of the receptacles 31 and guiding it manually in thedirection of the slot 23. With this motion, the spring motor 19 rollsthe roller blind 17 again on the winding roller.

FIG. 2 shows a different embodiment of the roll cover 15. The necessarycomponents have already been described in conjunction with FIG. 1 andthey are either identical or have the same function and are used withthe same reference number without a repeated explanation.

FIG. 2A is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the spring motor drivefor the roller blind shown in FIG. 2, similar to the spring drivedepicted in the FIG. 1 embodiment.

The significant difference to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 isthat the compulsory guiding device 27, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,comprises two guiding rails 35 attached inside the car body next to theside rims 12 of the tailgate opening 7. The figures illustrate againonly one of the two guide rails because the other cannot be seen due tothe cut-off presentation.

The guide rails 35 each have a C-shaped profile and form for theschematically shown slides 36. Each slide 36 carries at its lower endthe fork-shaped receptacle 31 in which the two pegs 26 of the pull bar25 are hooked.

Additionally, each slide 36 is kinematically connected to the tailgatedoor 8 via a connecting rod 37. The connecting rod 37 is connected at 38so that it can rotate with the slide 36 and hinged at 39 at the tailgatedoor 8 adjacent to its hinge.

The rod 37 is rigid and forces a motion of both slides 36 along theirrespective rails 35 during the opening and closing motion of thetailgate door 8.

In principle, the handling of the roll cover in FIGS. 2 and 3 is thesame as the handling in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

When the cargo space 2 must be closed, the pull bar 25 with its pegs 26is hooked into the two slides 36. These two slides 36 are in their upperposition when the tailgate 8 is open and hold the hooked-in pull bar 25in an upper position which is higher than that pull bar position whenthe cargo space 2 is closed.

The position shown with lines in FIG. 2 in which the tailgate door 8 ispivoted down, the two rods 37 by necessity also press the slides 36 inthe guide rails downward. When the tailgate door 8 is completely closed,the roller blind 17 runs almost horizontal, as shown with dashes in FIG.2.

When the tailgate door 8 is opened, the slides 36 are again pulledupward and also lift the roller blind 17 up.

FIG. 4 shows that it's possible to use rope-like coupling links 37instead of the rigid coupling links. The rope-like coupling links areattached to an ear 41 located on the inside of the tailgate door 8.

Since a coupling link 37 of this type can only move the respective slide36, a pre-stressed spring 42 is provided for the opposite movement andruns along the respective guide rail and prestresses the slide 36against the effects of the coupling link 37. In the illustratedembodiment, the spring runs as a tension spring from slide 36 to thelower end of the guide rail 35, i.e., the slides 36 are constantlyprestressed by the springs 42 in a position corresponding to the closedroll cover. When the tailgate door 8 is closed, the slides 36 rundownward because of the effect of the springs, while they are pulled upagainst the effects of the springs when the tailgate door 8 is opened.Otherwise the handling and function is identical to that described withthe previous exemplary embodiments.

Although not illustrated in detail, the coupling links 37 can also havelevers with a compulsory guiding device 27 and, conversely, embodimentsare possible where the compulsory guiding device 27 has rails but nocoupling links 37. However, the use of coupling links has thesignificant technical advantage that, controlled by the tailgate door 8,both ends of the pull bar 25 are moved in a synchronous manner and nojamming can occur.

FIG. 5 shows a different embodiment. The necessary components havealready been described in conjunction with FIG. 1 and they are eitheridentical or have the same function and are used with the same referencenumber without a repeated explanation.

The exemplary embodiment in FIG. 5 has as the compulsory guiding device27 two grooves 43, only one of which is shown because of the partialperspective. The groove 43 is rectangular in its cross-section andbegins at the front of the vehicle in the side rim 12 of the tailgateopening 7 facing in the direction toward the roof rim. The groove 43ends a significant space in front of it. Its width corresponds with thediameter of peg 26. Its end closest to the roof is closed.

At the side rim 1.2 on the other side of the tailgate opening 7 (notshown) is the mirror-image groove 43. Both grooves are opened to eachother and follow the rear contour beginning at the front in thedirection of the roof. Because of this design, the distance of the lowerend of 43 from the cover housing 16 is larger than the distance of theupper end, i.e., when the peg 26, starting with the front, is movedthrough the groove 43 in the direction of its roof side end, the rollerblind 17 is driven forward a short distance.

Because of this arrangement, the roll cover 15 will constantly assumethe position shown in FIG. 5. In order to cover the cargo space beforeclosing the tailgate door 8, the lower end of the groove 43 has alocking device 44. The locking device 44 is visible in FIG. 5 and hasits mirror image on the left vehicle side. The explanation of thearrangement and effect of the locking device 44 can be limited to one ofthe two locking devices.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show the locking device 44 schematically. As can be seen inthe figures, the groove 43 runs in the area of the locking device 44through a housing 45 shown cut off. The groove 43 forms on its lower endin its forward side wall a pocket or a recess 46 in the direction of thewinding roller 18 and runs additionally into another receptacle groove47 which on the level of the recess 46 leads at first horizontally inthe direction toward the invisible tailgate opening 7. After a shortstretch, the receptacle groove 47 forms a descending 180° arch 48 afterwhich the receptacle groove 47 widens at 48 in a funnel shape and formsa joining funnel.

On the side facing away from the tailgate opening, the housing 45contains a partially cylindrical recess 51 that cuts the front side wallof the groove 43 (left in the figure) as can be seen in FIG. 7; i.e., onboth sides of the recess 51, the groove wall segments 52 and 53 remainand continue into the recess 46. The partially cylindrical recess 51contains a lifting element 54 in the form of a sector-like disk that iscontained in the recess 51 and can be pivoted to a limited extent. Thelifting element 54 is limited by a cylindrical outer surface with thesame diameter as the partially cylindrical recess 51 as well as by twostraight surfaces 56 and 57 running like tendons. The surfaces 56 and 57face the groove 43. The lifting element 54 can be pivoted around an axisthat runs parallel to the adjacent side wall of the groove 43 andextends horizontally.

The pivot limitation of the lifting element 54 is attained by means of arib 58 protruding in the recess which works together with the arch-likerecess 59 in the cylindrical surface 55.

In addition, the housing 45 contains a sliding ram 61; its inner end 62faces the groove 43 and its outer end 63 protrudes into the motion pathof the tailgate door 8 on the level of the front. The ram 61 forms, atthe same time, a holder and is attached as a slider by means of theboring 64 whose axis faces the cylindrical recess 51 above the pivotaxis of the lifting element 54.

The roll cover 15 in FIG. 5 functions as follows:

The start position of the roll cover 15 is shown in FIG. 5. In thisposition the pegs 26 of the pull bar 25 abut to the end of the groove 43that is closest to the roof. The pegs 26 are held in this position bythe reverse force of the spring motor 19 of the winding roller.

To cover the cargo space opening before closing the tailgate door 8, theuser exerts downward pressure on the rim of the roller blind 17 that isstiffened by the pull bar 25. The pegs 26 slide though the side grooves43 of the compulsory guiding device 27 until they reach its lower end.Again, due to the spring motor 19, the two pegs 26 are pulled in therecess 46, and at the same time the disk-like lifting element 54 isturned in the direction shown in FIG. 6 which jumps back into itssurface 56 against the clearance of the recess 46. On each side of thetailgate opening 7, the respective peg 26 is locked in the recess. Thespring motor keeps the roller blind 17 tight but it cannot pull theroller blind 17 back into the start position of FIG. 5 because the pegs26 are locked in the recesses 46. The roll cover is in its closedposition.

The user can now pivot the tailgate door 8 downward and lock thetailgate opening 7. Toward the end of the closing motion, the door 8comes into contact with the outside ends 63 of the two rams 61 so thatthe continued closing motion of the tailgate door 8 moves the rams 61forward in the direction of the disk-like lifting element 54. Thiscauses the inner end 62, as shown in FIG. 8, to enter the groove 43,cross over it and enter the recess 51 behind it. Due to the entering inthe recess 51, the ram touches the surface 57 and turns the disk-likelifting element 54 around its horizontal axis. The disk-like liftingelement presses the peg 26 out of the recess 46 with the lower surfaceagainst the effect of the spring motor 19. The retractive force of thespring motor 19 now causes the peg 26 to slide upward on theperpendicular surface 56 on the likewise perpendicular groove side walluntil it is touching the ram 61 from below. The peg 26 is located inFIG. 6 above this position in so far that it cannot reach the recess 46again without pressure from above on the pull bar 25.

When the user opens the tailgate door 8 the next time, the ram 61 ispulled by a return spring (not shown) from the position in FIG. 8 backinto the position in FIG. 6 which is identical with the position in FIG.9. During this motion, the ram 61 that functioned earlier as a holderfor peg 26 leaves the clearance of groove 43, and the peg 26 can slideto the upper roof-side end of groove 43 under the effect of theretractive force of the spring motor 19.

To prevent sudden movement, i.e., that the rim of the roller blind 17jumps upward, an appropriate brake device preferably is provided thatacts on the winding roller 18.

As was explained in the above function description, the locking device44 comprises a total of three states. In the first state, as shown inFIG. 6, the respective peg 26 is reliably locked in the recess 46 andthe roller blind 17 is fixed in the closed position. The second state ofthe locking device is shown in FIG. 9 with the complete release of thepeg 26 that can move upward in groove 43 without hindrance. The thirdstate shown in FIG. 8 is an intermediate state between the states inFIGS. 6 and 9 and corresponds to a “stand-by” state in which the rollcover 15 is waiting for another opening of the tailgate door 8 in orderto reach the position in FIG. 5. The position of peg 26 and also of thepull bar 25 differs by a few millimeters in the first and the thirdstate in FIGS. 6 and 8. Both positions are closed positions in which thecargo space opening is almost completely closed. In contrast, theposition in FIG. 5 is an intermediate position where the rim facing theuser is formed by the loop 24 and lifted almost up to the roof so thatthe cargo space opening is easily accessible from above.

If the user wants to open the cargo space completely or if he wants toremove the roll cover 15, he will first press the rim that is formed bythe loop 24 downward so far until the pegs 26 lock again in thecorresponding recess 46. He also can grasp the tube-like loop 24 andpull the roller blind 17 toward himself causing the peg 26 to move fromthe recess 46 into the receptacle groove 47. The further movementdownward brings the peg 26 into the funnel 49 from which the peg 26leaves the arresting device 44 completely so that the pull bar 25 can bemoved back to the housing 16 on any path.

The hooking of the pegs 26 occurs in the reverse order in that these arethreaded on both sides in the funnels 49 and brought upward to theposition shown in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a lateral or perspective view of an exemplaryembodiment of the locking device 44 that differs from the embodimentdescribed above in that the pocket is formed with a movable wall in theform of a locking slider 66 that protrudes from the rear in the space ofgroove 43 above the receptacle groove 47.

The lifting element 54 is seated on the inside of the tailgate door buthere it does not have the form of a rotating disk but rather of a rigidarm that is attached on the inside of the tailgate door. The liftingelement 54 has on its front end 67 facing away from the tailgate door 8an offset 68 that turns into a holding nose 69 above it.

The function is as follows:

When the user brings the roll cover 15 to the closed position, the pegs26 on both sides move to the respective locking device 44 where theypress the locking slide 66 back and reach below it. This locks therespective peg 26 below the locking slider 66 as can be seen in FIG. 11.When the tailgate door 8 is closed, the lifting element 54 meshes withthe peg 26 and presses the peg 26 with simultaneous back push on thelocking slider 66 from the clearance of groove 43 so that the peg 26, asshown in FIG. 10, can reach above the locking slider 66. Because thenose 69 extends into the movement path of the peg 26, the peg 26 remainshanging below the nose 69 when the tailgate door 8 is closed. Onlyanother opening of the tailgate door releases the peg 26 on each side sothat it can slide through the groove 43 upward to its upper roof-sideend.

While the position in FIG. 11 shows the first state of the abovedescription, FIG. 10 shows the third state.

The receptacle groove 47 and the funnel 49 are present in the samemanner.

In the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 6 through 11, the activation ofthe locking device 44 occurs toward the end of the closing motion of thetailgate door 8. If this is to occur at the beginning of the closingmotion, i.e., in reverse at the end of the opening movement, thesolution illustrated in FIGS. 12 through 14 is applied.

This construction is similar to that according to FIGS. 6 through 9.

The groove 43 of the compulsory guiding device 27 comes from above outof the housing 45. The receptacle groove 47 runs at its beginning therewhere it collides with groove 43, not horizontally but slightlyascending so that a hollow results at 72.

Instead of the disk-like lifting element 54, a plate-like slide 73 isextended horizontally in a corresponding opening in the housing 45,shown in perspective in FIG. 13. The drawing shows the mounting locationinside the vehicle. The slide 73 consists of a base plate 74 with twoextensions 76 and 78 at its front side 75 facing in the same direction.The extension 78 carries the perpendicular surface 79 that converts intoa vertically running even surface 81. These two surfaces 79 and 81 arethe function surfaces of the extension 78.

The essential surfaces of extension 76 are the horizontal even surface82 on the underside of the extension 76 in FIG. 13 and a perpendicularsurface 83 that faces upward. In addition, the extension 76 is borderedat its circumference by a surface 84.

The exact location and effect of the individual surfaces is explained inthe function description below.

A groove 85 runs parallel to groove 43 in the housing body 45 and isoffset from groove 43 toward the tailgate opening 7. The groove 85contains an actuating cam 86 with a cam surface 87 at its front slidingsideways. A strong helical spring 89 is supported on a back frontalsurface 88 which is supported on the other end at shoulder 91 in thehousing 45. In addition, an elastic and tension resistant cylindricalcoupling link 92 is entering in the back frontal surface 88 of theactuating cam 86. The coupling link 92 is coupled with the tailgate door8 at its other end (not shown) with a corresponding cam or wedgesurface.

When the tailgate door 8 is completely opened, the actuation cam 86 isretracted against the effect of the helical spring 89 that is supportedin the shoulder 91. This enables the slide 73 to be pushed forward withthe help of a spring 93. The extension 78 protrudes in this positionwith its perpendicular surface 79 into the groove 43. The verticalsurface 81 is in the center of the groove 43 and somewhat in front ofthe beginning of the receptacle groove 47. At the same time, theextension 76 has vanished out of the clearance of 43 in this position inso far that its side surface 84 is flush with the corresponding wall ofthe groove 43.

When the roll cover 15 is closed, the peg 26 can, coming from above,reach into the locking device 44 where it first passes by theineffective extension 83 and then, further down, encounters theperpendicular surface 79 extending into the groove 43. When the userforcefully pushes the pull bar 25 further downward, the slide 73 ispushed back due to the action of the peg 26 on the perpendicular surface79 against the effect of the helical spring 93 that prestresses it sothat the area of the extension protruding into the clearance of groove43 vanishes from the clearance.

So that this can be accomplished with ease, the surface 79 in the restposition shown in FIG. 12 jumps backward against the corresponding sidewall of the groove 43 and causes with the retracting action for theslide 73 the peg 76 to be wedged between surface 79 and the oppositeside wall of groove 43.

At the end of the downward motion, the peg 26 gets into the receptaclegroove 47 and thus in front of the lower end of groove 43. The slide 73can now be moved in the direction of the tailgate opening 7 by thehelical spring 93. The force exerted by the helical springs 93 on thetwo sides of the tailgate opening 7 is together at least higher than theretractive force than the spring motor 19 can muster. The peg 26 is thusarrested between surface 81 and the walls of the receptacle groove 47 asshown in FIG. 12.

When the user begins to close the tailgate door 8, the tensile effect atthe wire-like coupling link 92 ends soon after leaving the highestopening position of the tailgate door 8 and the helical spring 89 is inposition to press the actuation cam 86 down. This causes the cam surface87 to come into contact with the perpendicular 83, and due to theresulting cam drive, the force of the spring 89 can shift the slide 73against the effect of the helical spring 93 which pushes the extension78 from the clearance of the groove 43. At the same time, the extension76 located further up on the front side 75 enters into the clearance asshown in FIG. 14. The peg 26 is released from the receptacle groove 47due to the movement of the slide 73 and reaches the groove ascending inperpendicular direction, but remains hanging after a short distance ofits movement path at the horizontal surface 82 of the extension. Peg 26remains here as long as the actuation cam 86 is retracted from theposition in FIG. 14 back into the position in FIG. 12 upon opening thetailgate door 8 and the spring 93 can press the slide 73 back.

This motion only occurs at the end of the opening motion of the tailgatedoor 8. If the user opens the tailgate door 9 only half-ways, the rollcover 15 remains in the closed position.

While the compulsory guiding device is a completely closed groove shownin FIGS. 5 through 14, the compulsory guiding device 27 is formed in theexemplary surface embodiment in FIG. 15 by a horizontal straightshoulder surface 95 that starts at the housing 16 and runs to thetailgate opening 7. The peg 26 of the pull bar 25 is located on thisupward facing shoulder surface 95. The intermediate position is reachedwith the aid of a stop 95 a that lifts up from the shoulder surface 95at the corresponding location and stops during the automatic retractionof the roll cover 15 the corresponding pegs 26.

At the end of the shoulder 95, i.e., in the vicinity of the tailgateopening 7, is another locking device 44 illustrated in FIGS. 16 through18 in different operation positions.

The shoulder surface 95 runs with its tailgate-side end into the housing45 where the shoulder surface 95 becomes a groove 96 in the manner thatthe lower groove wall 97 aligns with the shoulder surface 95. The groove96 opens in the direction to the opposite side wall of the vehicle andcontinues until almost the tailgate opening 7, where an end 98 of thegroove exits the housing 45.

Close to the end 98, a boring 99 containing a locking bolt 101 entersthrough which a spring 102 is prestressed in the direction toward thegroove 96 so that a tip 103 of the bolt 101 can protrude a bit into theclearance of the groove 96. The advancing motion is limited by a flathead 104 that abuts to a corresponding shoulder 105 in the housing 45.

A holder 107 pivoting around an axis 108 is located in a chamber 106below the groove 96. The chamber 106 is connected with the groove 96 viaan opening 109 in the lower groove wall 97. It is located in referenceto the motion direction of the peg 26 offset from the winding roller 18.

The holder has a buffer plate 111 which is designed to work togetherwith the peg in the manner described below.

The holder 107 is prestressed into the position in FIG. 18 by means ofthe tension spring 112 that touches with its one end the holder 107 andis anchored with its other end at 113 in the housing 45. The holder 107abuts with one stop surface 114 to the base of the chamber 106. In thisposition the stop surface 114 is retraced from the clearance of thegroove 96.

An actuating slide 115 serves the actuating of the holder 107 and thecompulsory shift of the peg 26. The actuating slide 115 has on the sameside two extensions 116 and 117. The extension 16 protrudes through theend 98 of the groove 96 while the extension 117 leads through a boring118 into the chamber 106. The extension 117 contains at its inner end along hole 119 into which the peg 121 attached to the holder 107 glides.

The function is as follows:

If the user wants to bring the roller blind 15 into the closed positionbefore he closes the tailgate door 18, he pulls the roller blind 17 withthe rim facing him into the direction of the tailgate opening 7. Inthat, the pegs 26 slide on the shoulders 95 assigned to them and reachat the end of the slide motion into the grooves 96 of the lockingdevices 44 mounted at both sides. The pulling motion of the roller blind17 is continued until the pegs 26 have passed the locking bolt 101 asshown in FIG. 16. The peg on each side lies then locked behind the tip103 protruding into the clearance of groove 96 and in front of the innerend of the actuating extension 116.

The passage of peg 26 into this position was possible because the spring112 had retracted the holder 107 into the chamber 106 which, at the sametime, ejected the actuating slide 115 via the guides in the form of peg121 and the long hole 119 in the direction of the tailgate opening 7.With locking the peg 26 behind the locking bolt 101, the first state ofthe locking device 44 is reached and the roller blind is held safely inthe closed position because the retractive force acting on the rollerblind 17 cannot overcome the locking force exerted by the locking bolt101. When the user now closes the tailgate door 12, a segment abuts atthe actuating slide 115 and presses it forward in the direction of thelocking bolt 101. This presses the peg 26 forward below the locking bolt101 into the position in FIG. 17. It cannot leave this position,however, because the advance of the actuation slide 115 over thekinematic connection with the holder 107 has reached its buffer plate111 from the chamber 106 upward into the motion path of the peg 26.

When the tailgate door 8 is opened again, the tension spring 112 or theforce exerted against the buffer plate 111 can push. the holder 107 backand free the motion path for peg 26. The roller blind 17 then retractsup to the intermediate position to the stop 95 a.

In the roll cover for the cargo space or trunk of station wagons, acompulsory guiding device is connected with the front rim of the rollerblind; it can be loosened. The compulsory guiding device provides thatthe roller blind can be moved upward when the tailgate door is opened sothat easier access to the cargo space is assured without having toretract the roller blind completely into its housing.

What is claimed is:
 1. A roll cover for covering a cargo space of avehicle having a cargo space opening at a rear end defined by a tailgatedoor hinged to a body of the vehicle and pivotable with respect to ahorizontal axis between open and closed positions, said roll covercomprising: an oblong housing mounted within the cargo space and havinga pull-out slot, a winding roller rotatably mounted within said housing,a roller blind attached at one edge to the winding roller, the rollerblind being pullable out of the housing through the slot and having amovable pull bar attached at an edge parallel to the winding roller, adrive device coupled to the winding roller and biased for rolling theroller blind on the winding roller, a positive guiding device to whichsaid pull bar is detachably connectable for providing two distinct endpositions for the pull bar when said blind is pulled out from saidhousing, one of said end positions of said pull bar corresponding to aclosed position of said roller blind wherein said roller blind coverssaid cargo space when said tailgate door is in a closed position, andthe other of said pull bar end positions corresponding to anintermediate position of said roller blind wherein said roller blindpermits access to said cargo space when said tailgate door in is in anopen position, and said pull bar remaining within said vehicle body whenin either of said end positions corresponding to said closed andintermediate positions of said roller blind.
 2. The roll cover accordingto claim 1, wherein when the pull bar is in the end positioncorresponding to the intermediate position of the roller blind the pullbar is in a relatively higher position than when the pull bar is in theend position corresponding to the closed position of the roller blind.3. The roll cover according to claim 1, wherein when the pull bar is inthe end position corresponding to the intermediate position of theroller blind the pull bar is in a relatively lower position andrelatively closer to the housing than when the pull bar is in the endportion corresponding to the closed position of the roller blind.
 4. Theroll cover according to claim 1, wherein the positive guiding device isconfigured such that when the pull bar is in the end positioncorresponding to the intermediate position of said roller blind the pullbar is closer to the housing than when the pull bar is in the endposition corresponding to the closed position of said roller blind. 5.The roll cover according to claim 1, wherein the positive guiding deviceholds the pull bar in the end position corresponding to the closedposition of the roller blind.
 6. The roll cover according to claim 1,wherein coupling links are provided to couple the motion of the tailgatedoor with the movement of the pull bar at least over a part of movementof the pull bar between the end positions corresponding to the closedand the intermediate positions.
 7. The roll cover according to claim 6,wherein the coupling links are rigid.
 8. The roll cover according toclaim 6, wherein the coupling links are elastically bendable.
 9. Theroll cover according to claim 6, wherein the coupling links aretensionably elastic.
 10. The roll cover according to claim 6, whereinthe positive guiding device includes two pivoting one-armed levers oneof which is located on one side of the roller blind and wherein saidlevers are pivotable around coaxial axes that extend parallel to thewinding roller.
 11. The roll cover according to claim 10, wherein thelevers have receptacles for receiving complementary segments of the pullbar.
 12. The roll cover according to claim 11, wherein the levers havecorresponding springs that prestress the levers at least for a distancein the direction of a position corresponding with the intermediateposition of the roller blind.
 13. The roll cover according to claim 10,wherein each said lever has a coupling link for operably connecting thelever with the tailgate door.
 14. The roll cover according to claim 1,wherein the positive guidance device includes guide grooves disposednext to sides of the cargo space opening.
 15. The roll cover accordingto claim 14, wherein the guide grooves contain ends of the pull bar in alongitudinally adjustable manner.
 16. The roll cover according to claim14, wherein slides extend in a longitudinally adjustable manner in theguide grooves.
 17. The roll cover according to claim 16, wherein theslides carry receptacles for receiving ends of the pull bar.
 18. Theroll cover according to claim 16 wherein each said slide has a couplinglink for operably connecting the slide with the tailgate door.
 19. Theroll cover according to claim 16, wherein said slides have correspondingsprings that prestress the slides.
 20. The roll cover according to claim1, wherein stops are provided that define the one end position of thepull bar corresponding to the closed position of the tailgate door. 21.The roll cover according to claim 1, wherein the positive guiding deviceincludes a corresponding locking device which is operable in first,second and third states, wherein in the first state a motion of the pullbar from said one end position is prevented, in the second state themotion of the pull bar from said one end position is released, and inthe third state the pull bar is held in said one end position dependingon the position of the tailgate door.
 22. The roll cover according toclaim 21, wherein the locking device operates in direct relation withthe pull bar.
 23. The roll cover according to claim 21, wherein thelocking device includes a groove into which a respective end of the pullbar must be guided and includes a recess configured such that thetension force exerted by the winding roller automatically holds the endof the pull bar in the recess, wherein the arrangement of the pull barin the recess corresponds with the first state of the locking device.